After all the fanfare and festivity that surrounded the Express at Chiplun, one would expect the train to take a break for a while before getting down to business again. But that was not to be. Just a few days after the project at Chiplun came to a close, the Express was off to its next destination. This time it was to the hilly northern state of Jharkhand, barely one year old, and its quaint town called Ghatsila. An indicator of the abiding relationship between Impact India and the Tatas, this project has been sponsored by Tata Steel, which, located at Jamshedpur, is just about an hour's distance away from Ghatsila.

This is not the first project with the Tatas, who have sponsored seven other projects in Bihar in the last ten years. Tata Steel itself has sponsored six of these projects, all in the state of Bihar. Once the decision to sponsor the Ghatsila project was taken, the Tata Steel Rural Development Society (TSRDS) went on to conduct a detailed survey to establish which town would serve as the project site. Although more far flung locations in rural north Jharkhand such as Giridh, Chatra and Palamu were targeted, the dire lack of basic facilities like adequate electricity, water and broad-gauge rail left Ghatsila as the only viable option. Further, its proximity to Jamshedpur made it a convenient location for the project.

The project was inaugurated with much fanfare by the Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Mr. Babulal Marandi, who was visiting this township for the first time since the birth of the state of Jharkhand. His visit here prompted some good news for the citizens of the town, as he also laid the foundation for a renovated and re-equipped Primary Health Centre and a bridge in the area. The project in Ghatsila envisages as many as 3000 surgeries and many more registrations for the rural poor in the area.

Tata Steel represents the country's single largest, integrated steel works in the Indian private sector. However, what truly distinguishes Tata Steel from other corporate successes is its abiding commitment towards good corporate citizenship. Over the many decades since its inception, Tata Steel has garnered tremendous respect and a strong abiding image as a corporate that holds its citizenry in as much regard as its turnover, working hard to improve the conditions under which they live.

Its efforts to improve the conditions of its people have earned Tata Steel several accolades from leading, thought-influencing institutions in India including the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Business World, Compaq, and the Economic Times.

Much will happen in the weeks to come as the Lifeline proceeds on its first project in this nascent state. With Tata Steel as our partner in this initiative, Impact India could not have asked for a better start!